- Stephanie Kemler

There’s simply no way I can speak concisely of something—and someone—I feel so strongly and passionate about. Deem this review a love poem to Stephanie Kemler if you please, for ultimately, that’s what this is.

“I can craft poetic pieces at any moment due to the inspiration from Stephanie. And that’s what I did in The Year of Sin & Smoke—wrote emotional responses to the brilliance and talent that she exudes in everything she does and creates. For every chapter of this unique and gorgeous story she wrote, I was able to utilize her artistic directions and ability to affect my own creativity and really grab hold of the ideas she asked me to put into words. Without her, this story, my role here, and this masterpiece of a life-changing project wouldn’t exist.

This story, this beautiful brainchild of Stephanie Kemler and the characters and setting and all it entails, is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It’s original and so authentic to the heart and soul of the author I know. It’s the beast-of-proof of every drop of impressive ability she contains. It’s the thriller you’ve never read before, the romance you didn’t know you needed, the story you’ve longed for because it encompasses so many genres and desired traits into one massive, magnificent book.

There wasn’t a single detail overlooked, no metaphorical rock left unturned on this torturous and tantalizing trail. Symbolism and significance everywhere—Stephanie Kemler Style. Traveling these pages with a guide like her ensures that you’ll make it out on the other side utterly affected.

The quiet moments. The loud ones. The heavy and the light, the sweet and the sorrowful. It’s all here with the ebb and flow of an experienced hand. Lullabies and serenades and haunting symphonies all composed by a master at her craft. This one is all that—more than just a story, just characters, just a temporary read. My thoughts and feelings here are the everlasting impression of one of the most beautiful minds on God’s green earth.

Reader beware, reader be brave, reader be awed as I am by what she and this novel behold. What you’ll venture into here is a territory of literature before uncharted, and I’m so lucky to have played a part alongside a writer of her caliber.”